Shining Knight in a black Kevlar vest
by parmakai66
Summary: Addison saves her family and then turns to the only person that makes sense to rescue her.


Disclaimer: Private Practice is property of Shondaland and ABC. No infringement intended.

Timeline: After 3.01 … Addison saves her family and then turns to the only person that makes sense to rescue her.

Shining knight in black Kevlar vest.

He thumbed the end button on the phone and stared into the blackness of the night. He could have said about ten different things to her. He could have refused her in twenty different ways, but there wasn't any option for him. There was a tone in her voice that said everything that her brain wouldn't verbalize. His legs were running before he even realized he had moved. He broke at least ten department regulations driving to the hospital, with red lights on, running stop lights, driving on the wrong side of the street, double parking in the drive.

He didn't need a medical degree to know she was destroyed inside. Half the department had been searching for Violet's baby and the attacker. When it came over the radio that the baby was found, he released the breath that he didn't know he was holding. How these strangers had wormed their way into his life mystified him, yet they had and suddenly he had a whole separate family that didn't revolve around the department or his brothers in arms.

The heart ache started when his cell phone rang and Addison's sob riddled voice filled the line. He thought he was over her … over letting a woman pull his strings and then hurt him. Over a woman not trusting him because he was just a nice guy … and then taking advantage because he was too nice. But the desperate pleading in her voice, the rambling words that made no logical sense all just got to him. Addison needed him and there was nowhere else for him to be.

Kevin stormed into the ER with a force that made every non essential person get the hell out of his way. He spotted Sam in the hallway and was pointed down a sterile hospital corridor. As he jogged past the open doors, he glanced to the side wondering if Addison was holed up in one of them, hiding from the reality that had been forced upon her friend.

He found her when he turned the corner, sitting on the floor at the end of the hall. He could see her tear stained face and puffy eyes before he even got close enough to hear her sobs. Everything about her was beautiful to him. This was just another facet of all the things he loved about her … her fiery temperament, her stubborn determination and argumentative nature. Addison liked to be challenged and refused to back down. Her nature demanded that she be the alpha and lead the pack. Tonight she was turning over control.

Kevin slid onto the floor next to her and adjusted his gun belt so that it didn't jab him in the ribs. He chided himself for not removing his vest before he ran out of the station, but as Addison collapsed into his lap, it didn't matter than Kevlar matting separated their hearts. He didn't need to say a thing; just being there to hold her was enough at that moment. Addison would talk when she was ready, whether it was in five minutes or a year, it didn't matter. Kevin would be there to hear it whenever she was ready.

Kevin listened carefully as her sobs melted away and her breathing finally relaxed. He wondered what thoughts were flooding her head and he tangled his fingers through her hair, massaging her scalp to calm her. The silence between them lasted only a few minutes yet said so much more than any words could ever convey. After an undisclosed amount of time passed, Addison rolled over in his arms to look him in the eyes.

"I had to save them. It was Violet and the baby, not some random person coming into the ER, Kevin. I had to take care of them, because they are my family and I need to hold it together," she said to him. The words started as a calm whisper and ended as an emotion filled wail.

"Did you?" Kevin whispered to her. "We got word at the station that…"

"I saved them, but I had to do everything because they couldn't die on my watch. This family is all I have left and it's falling apart at the seams," she informed him as tears welled up in her eyes and trailed down her face. "I've messed up every relationship that I've ever had … I tarnish everything that is good and I have to do everything I can to hold it all together because no one else is."

"Addison, hey, shhh, relax," Kevin said running his finger tips down the side of her face. "It's okay," he muttered not knowing what else to say. This wasn't the time to hash out all the things that were wrong with their relationship. This was just his moment to be anything that she needed of him. "You don't need to do it all alone."

"I'm so glad you're here," Addison said as she sat up. She wiped the tears off her cheek with her fingers. "I didn't think you would even answer after all that I did and said to you. You were the only one I even thought about calling. The whole time we were together, I looked for reasons not to trust you and in the end I'm the one that screwed it all up between us.

"Yeah, things are a little messed up," Kevin conceded. He reached down and wrapped his fingers around her hand. "But there isn't anywhere else I would want to be and what's wrong between us is fixable," he said holding her gaze. "If you want to try… that is," he stammered suddenly thinking that her needing him was a momentary thing.

Addison pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her forehead on her hand. "I've made mistakes Kev," she moaned quietly. "I got caught up in this thing that was totally wrong and it left me wondering …" her voice trailed off and she looked up into his eyes. "I have this weight pressing down on my chest that is suffocating me," she said pressing her hand against her sternum.

Kevin twisted his hold on her hand and pressed two fingers against her radial artery. "You're pulse is strong, like your resolve," he said quietly.

She watched him, as he took her pulse and then trailed her gaze up to his face. She shook her head in denial. "Kev, I was scared to death. Violet was bleeding out and I was trying to save her and the baby. I yelled at the peds surgeon because I was being a psychotic control freak. And everyone let me be that way. No one stopped me, except Dell… Dell wasn't afraid to challenge me." She was quiet for a moment and the sighed heavily.

"My hands were trembling as I dialed your number, Kev," she whispered. "I was terrified that I was going to lose another friend, that Violet wasn't going to make it and you weren't going to answer."

Kevin saw the confidence drain out of her face and her bottom lip began to quiver. He scooted forward and moved his leg to straddle her. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her back. "I'm not going anywhere, Addison," he whispered into her ear. He stroked the back of her head and held her tight, letting her know she was secure with him, that their relationship, whatever that may be, was secure with them. "You don't have to save everyone all the time. You need to let me rescue you once in a while. That's my job remember? I scare the bad guys away and rescue people."

"With your two guns?" she sniffled.

"My two guns, my sap and my sheer brawn," he replied with a smile. "I'm your shining knight in a black Kevlar vest."

…**!...**

A/N: I'm a huge fan of this ship, mainly because my guy and many men in my family work in law enforcement. When the writers ended this ship, it totally ticked me off … especially when Addison ran into _another _adulterous affair. (I don't care how cute Noah is … that whole story line was too over the top for me).


End file.
